Product Details

• Directors: Cristina Khuly
• Format: DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Run Time: 88 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001IALTJM
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #166,111 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Shoot Down takes the audience through one of the most appalling international incidents that perfectly reflects the tumultuous relationship between Cuba and the United States. Winner of the 2007 Sonoma Valley Film Festival Award for Best Documentary, Shoot Down revisits the 1996 Cuban downing of two US civilian planes, piloted by Miami-based group Brothers to the Rescue (BTTR), which resulted in the deaths of four men. The film chronicles the perfect storm of events that led to that fateful day: In the early 90's Cuba was facing a steep economic decline after the pullout of the Soviet Union. Cuban Rafters, fleeing desperate conditions on the Island, were dying by the thousands in an attempt to reach the US. The European Union was recognizing the growing internal dissidence base in Cuba that, for the first time since the revolution of 1959, was effectively and publicly challenging the Castro government. Pressure was mounting and the boiling point came at the end of Clinton's first term in office. BTTR had gained political influence and respect on both sides of the Florida Straits with its many rescue missions of Cuban rafters. The group flew near Cuba to spot the fleeing rafters and, at least once, flew over Havana. This was the pretext the Cuban Government needed to act -- in the air against the US-registered planes and on the Island against the dissidents. In a stirring reenactment of the shoot down, the film replays the actual radio transmissions of the pilots in their final moments and the elation of the Cuban MiG pilots who fired the missiles. Special features include: Spanish & English language versions; a 12 min. unedited audio recording of Raul Castro commenting on the incident; the unedited voice recordings (1 hr., 30 min.) between the Cuban MiG's and Cuban Military Control -- intercepted by US intelligence surveillance; a 30 min. cockpit voice recording of the lead BTTR Cessna, which includes conversations between this plane and the two shot down.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Documentary, October 23, 2008

By 

Madison John "Madison John" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shoot Down (DVD)

"On February 24th, 1996, in the midst of heightening political unrest in Cuba and in the wake of a revised U.S. policy toward Cuban refugees, the unthinkable occurred. In those 90 miles of water separating the United States from Cuba, the Cuban government authorized two military fighter jets to attack and destroy unarmed civilian American aircraft over international water." -(excerpt from SHOOT DOWN website [...])

SHOOT DOWN is an exciting, new documentary. Its subject matter as well as its brilliant execution stand paramount among the many reasons for people to see this film. I saw the Washington D.C. premiere of SHOOT DOWN and had an opportunity to dialogue with the producer and director during the talk back. I strongly recommend visiting the film's website ([...]) for a superb overview and introduction of the subject matter.

Winner of the 2007 Sonoma Film Festival Award for Best Documentary, Shoot Down is the first feature length film to tell the true and complex story behind one of the most pivotal events in U.S.-Cuba relations. It is a story of diplomatic relations, human rights, the fortitude of family and the dogged passion ignited by the search for truth and freedom. (excerpt from the [...])

What struck me most about the film are the questions it raised, the content of which stayed with me for days. Consequently I participated in a number of conversations about the the ongoing relationship between the USA and Cuba and USA and the rest of the world.

In a genre where documentarians are producing more and more biased films when it comes to political issues, it is refreshing to find film makers whose goal is to explore the complexity and nuance of the events that shape our country with honesty and integrity.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars OTRO ASECINATO DE LA DICTADURA castro, December 20, 2008

By 

Emilio Quevedo (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shoot Down (DVD)

Gracias por hacer este video y mostrar al mundo un crimen mas de los castro

5.0 out of 5 stars Objective, informative and very well put together film, May 16, 2010

By 

Ric Barrios (florida,usa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shoot Down (DVD)

Top notch production team. Tasteful and very well timed musical score. Documentary has very logical flow. Content, facts and interviews are well presented at precisely the right time for relevance. Clearly moves the viewer through the events that led up to the shoot down and after, leaving very little chance for misunderstanding. Very credible and objective presentation shedding much needed light on this very significant event in US-Cuba history/relations. I congratulate everyone involved in this production. It was a sad day indeed for all Cubans and anyone else in the world who values human life.